No. 17/16 Softball takes series opener at Texas Tech, 5-4

Friday, April 29

Lubbock, Texas

5 p.m. CT

University of Texas

33-15-1, 8-5

Texas Tech

22-24, 5-11

Texas

Texas Tech

No. 17/16 Softball takes series opener at Texas Tech, 5-4

04.29.2022 | Softball

Box Score

Senior right hander Hailey Dolcini tied her Texas career-high by recording 14 strikeouts

LUBBOCK, Texas – On Friday evening at Rocky Johnson Field, No. 17/16 Texas softball (33-15-1, 8-5 Big 12 Conference) battled its way back from an early two-run deficit to win its league series opener at Texas Tech (22-24, 5-11 Big 12 Conference), 5-4.

Notes

Texas senior second baseman Janae Jefferson broke former Longhorns player Desiree Williams' (2005-09) career records by starting and playing in her 248th career game.
Senior pitcher Hailey Dolcini equaled her Texas career high with 14 strikeouts against the Red Raiders. The occurrence marked the 20th time she's reached double figures for K's in her career combining stints at UC Riverside, Fresno State and Texas.
Jefferson scored her 197th and 198th career runs to climb within two scores of joining former standout Taylor Hoagland (221 runs – 2010-13) as the only Texas players to reach the 200-run milestone.
By fighting out of a 2-0, third-inning hole, Texas rallied from a deficit to win a game for the 13th time this season.
Senior catcher Mary Iakopo knocked in three runs to give her a Texas-best 11 multi-RBI efforts this season and 44 over her career.
Freshman third baseman Mia Scott went 2-for-4 at the plate to record the 14th multi-hit game of her brief career.

Major Players

Senior catcher Mary Iakopo (2-for-4, run, HR, three RBIs); senior second baseman Janae Jefferson (2-for-4, two runs, double, HR, two RBIs); freshman third baseman Mia Scott (2-for-4, two runs, two steals, double)

In the Circle

Senior Hailey Dolcini (15-7) earned the win after allowing three earned runs on three hits with one walk and a Texas career-high-tying 14 strikeouts over a complete-game effort.

The Details

Left fielder Payton Jackson wasted no time handing Texas Tech a 2-0, first-inning lead by following an Arriana Villa leadoff single with a two-run HR to right.

With Dolcini settling down in the circle by striking out five of the next six Red Raiders she faced, Jefferson got the Longhorns on the board in the third by launching a two-out solo HR to center to cut the deficit to 2-1. Scott followed with a double to the wall in left center, but the speedster was stranded on a grounder to second.

Iakopo wasted no time tying the game in the top of the fourth by launching the first pitch she received out to center for a solo HR to make it 2-2. Freshman left fielder Katie Cimusz and sophomore designated player Jordyn Whitaker followed with singles to station two aboard with two down, but a foul out to left raised Texas' left stranded count to four.

Jefferson kicked off the top of the fifth by ending up at third on a double to right center and a fielding error by Texas Tech's Peyton Blythe. Scott followed immediately by lining a ball off TTU third baseman Abbie Orrick and stealing second to put a pair of Longhorns in scoring position with still no outs. That set the stage for more Iakopo heroics as the Carson, Calif., native lifted a two-RBI single to left to hand Texas its first lead of the contest at 4-2. After an Alyssa Washington walk put runners at the corners, Texas tried a double steal, but Iakopo was thrown out at the plate to limit the damage.

A Texas miscue opened the door for the Red Raiders to tie things up in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, catcher Kennedy Crites lifted a fly ball to center that was dropped for a two-base error. TTU took immediate advantage as shortstop Riley Love hit a two-run HR over the left field foul pole to tie the contest at 4-4.

Sophomore center fielder Alyssa Popelka led off the top of the sixth with a perfect bunt single and a stolen base to reach scoring position. Whitaker stepped into the box and hit a chopper to short. Texas Tech's Love fielded the ball and somehow managed a perfect throw ahead of Popelka for a tag and a huge first out. That took the steam out of the potential Texas rally as a pop-up to short and a fly out to left concluded the frame.

With the Longhorns in need of a late spark, Scott provided one by beginning the top of the seventh with a single. The Angelton, Texas, native quickly took off for a steal of second and ended up on third after a TTU throwing error. Parker came to the plate with a chance for a go-ahead RBI and got it on a bouncer to short as Scott raced home to beat a late tag for a 5-4 advantage.

From there, it was just left to Dolcini to finish things off, and the Ferndale, Calif., product did just that by retiring the side in order to go with her 13th and 14th strikeouts.